In Kabbalah, the idea of reaching completion is a central theme, and it's rarely a straightforward journey. It's a process of growth, loss, and renewal. We see this beautifully illustrated in the concept of the partzufim, or divine countenances, in the realm of Atzilut, the world of emanation.
So, what does it take for a partzuf to become complete? According to the teachings of Kabbalah, and specifically as explained in the Sulam commentary, a partzuf isn't fully formed until it undergoes a fascinating process of "gestation, infancy, and brains" – not just once, but twice!
Now, why this double cycle? It all boils down to the nature of the partition, or screen (parsa), in Atzilut. Because of the intensified purification happening there, a partzuf can only receive its ten sefirot – those divine attributes or emanations – through these three successive phases. We're talking gestation, infancy, and then the "brains," as we touched upon earlier.
But here's where things get interesting. As the Zohar tells us, during the initial emergence of these "brains," a kind of "beating" occurs between the right and left sides. Think of it like a cosmic balancing act. This process continues until the left side purifies all the opacity, or "thickness" of the partition. The problem is that as this happens, all the illuminations received during gestation, infancy, and the first set of "brains" actually depart.
Why? Because with the loss of opacity in the partition, the fusion that occurs through collision is negated. It's like losing the friction that creates a spark! And so, the lights fade, and the partzuf returns to the "head" of the upper partzuf for renewed gestation, receiving a new "three within three," as explained in earlier sections.
Imagine it: A return to the womb, a fresh start. This isn’t a failure, but a necessary step in the process.
Then, it's born again! It receives a renewed infancy, which, according to Kabbalistic understanding, brings down the Malkhut – the divine feminine, the realm of manifestation – from the forehead to the eyes. The sefirot Ḥesed (loving-kindness), Gevura (severity), and Tiferet (beauty) emerge from Netzaḥ (victory), Hod (splendor), and Yesod (foundation). The partzuf receives a renewed height of ruaḥ – spirit.
And it doesn’t end there! It ascends as feminine waters (mayin nukvin) and receives renewed lights of neshama (soul), ḥaya (life), and yeḥida (uniqueness). Within these renewed lights exists the crucial middle line, uniting the right and left – the "brains of the front." It's only then, when these "brains of the front" appear, that the illuminations can persist and endure.
So, as we find in Midrash Rabbah, until the partzufim attain these "brains" for the second time, they simply cannot fully exist in a stable, enduring state.
What does this all mean for us? Perhaps it's a reminder that growth is rarely linear. We often need to revisit foundational stages, to be "reborn" in a sense, before we can truly embody our potential. The path to completion, to wholeness, is paved with cycles of emergence, loss, and renewal. Just when we think we've arrived, there's another layer to uncover, another level of integration to achieve. And that, perhaps, is the beauty and the challenge of the journey.